Strip feeding mechanism



May 15, 1945. w. L. SULLIVAN STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 25, 1943 :IIIIIE.

Patented May 15, 1945 STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM Warren L. Sullivan, Rochester, N. Y.,

Paragon Revolute Corporation,

assignor to Rochester,

N. Y. a corporation of New York Application February 25, 1943, Serial No. 477,163

Claims. (Cl. 214.17)

This invention relates to strip feeding mechanism. In the processing of strips or the like, it is frequently necessary to feed these strips to a suitable conveyor which presents them to, one or more treating stations. For example, in the processing of light sensitized sheets and es pecially where large sheets or strips of photographic paper are to be treated in'the developer, it is essential that the strip be introduced into the developer evenly, otherwise the strip will not be uniformly processed and will have an unsightly appearance- The main feature of the" present invention, therefore, relates to mechanism for feeding a strip or the like and particularly a moist strip into a treating solution or solutions.

For a clearer understanding of the invention,

' reference is made to the drawing in which Fig. 1

is a lengthwise vertical section and Fig. 2 is a plan view of photo processing arrangement having the present invention incorporated therein.

Although the present invention has various applications it is herein disclosed in combination with photo processing equipment. This equipment comprises a receptacle 5 and a series of solution tanks 6, 1, 8 and 9 arranged in a row length to reach froma clip on one chain to the travel in generally rectangular courses respectively in parallel vertical planes at opposite sides of the equipment. These chains are driven by a pair of sprocket wheels which in turn are driven through the gear H and pinion l5 by the change-' speed transmission unit 35 and the electric motor M. Pairs of sprocket wheels l'l respectively secured to the ends of the guide rolls as well as the idler sprocket wheels l9 define the course of travel of the chains l2. These chains are pro vided with clips 2|, spaced a convenient distance apart to receive detachable rods or strips 22 of a .opposite clip on the other chain. The pair of whereby a sheet or strip can be progressively advanced in succession from the receptacle through V the series of tanks for efifecting the respective processing operations in a desired sequence. The receptacle 5 is adapted to hold a roll of exposed photographic strip 5 or the like. The edge ll) of the receptacle is rounded to guide the strip S into the tank 6 which is adapted to contain water or other suitable liquid through which the sheet can be drawn to moisten it preparatory to introducing it into a developer or other treating solution. The side walls of the tank 6 support a horizontal guide roll ll underwhich the strip passes to insure that it will be thoroughly moistened. After leaving the tank 6, the strip S is introduced into the tank 1 which is adapted to hold developer or other treating solution. From the developer tank, the paper passes into the tank 8 containing a so-called stop solution which inhibits the action of the developer. The strip S is finally guided into the tank 9 which contains a fixing solution.

The present arrangement also includes means for guiding through the several processing solutions, not only strips, such as S, of relatively large size but also pieces of paper even as small as a foot square. This guiding means comprises the driven guide rolls RI, R2, R3, R4 and R5, which are driven by two endless chains l2 arranged to rolls RI and R2 located respectively near the ends of the developer tank, guide the paper strip through the developer solution. The guide roll R, however, leads the strip from the developer tank into the stop solution through which the strip is guided by the guide roll R4. From the stop solution, the strip is elevated by the guide roll R5 from which it enters the fixing solution. A rubber wringer roll 24 cooperates with the guide roll R3 to wring the developer solution from the sheet into tank 1. This wringer roll is mounted on arms 25 pivoted at the points 26, the arms being spring-urged, by means not shown, so that the wringer roll 24 engages the guide roll R3. Likewise, the rubber wringer roll 28 engages the guide roll R5 to wring the stop solution from the strip, the wringer roll being similarly carried on a pair of spring-urged arms 29 also mounted on the pivots 26.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided means for engaging an end portion of the strip S by one of the detachable rods 22 so that the chains l2 will feed the strip through the several treating solutions. The arrangement for applying the end portion of the strips t one of the mentioned rods 22 comprises a pair of idler rolls 30 between which the feed chains l2 with the attached rods 22 extending therebetween, are adapted to pass. The tops of these rollers are preferably located in the same horizontal plain as the top surface of a shelf 3| which is supported in any suitable manner above the developer tank at a convenient height for the operator. This shelf should preferably have a length approximately equal to the width of the tank 1. However, the width of the shelf may be approximately eighteen inches wide.

While the feed rods 22 may be permanently mounted in the clipsZl on the feed chains l2, it is preferred to detach these rods from the chains as soon as the' rods have completed their course of travel through the respective solutions. For this purpose, there is provided a generally wedgeshaped cam 33 adjacent each chain. Each cam is so shaped that it slopes outward from a point at the inside of its related chain to the other side thereof so that as the rod 22 is advanced, its end portions will ride along the inclined surfaces of the cams to a position where the high points on the cams will force the rod from the clips. The rod will then drop into the tank 9 from which it can be removed by the operator.

In the operation of the system, let it be assumed that the tanks 6, 1, 8 and 3 are filled with the proper liquid to the level indicated in broken lines. The motor M together with the changespeed transmission 35 will be adjusted so that the drive chains It will feed the strip through the developer solution in the tank '9 in an interval lust long enough to complete the developing action. The strip of exposed papers in the form of a roll is placed in the receptacle 5. From this roll, the strip then passes over the curved edge III of the receptacle and under the roller II in the water tank where the strip is uniformly soaked so that it readily takes up the developer solution. The end portion of.the strip is then drawn over the idler rolls 30 with the free end of the strip resting on the top of the shelf 3|. It should be mentioned that the strip is preferably placed with its sensitized surface downward on the shelf. A rod 22 is then inserted in the pair of traveling clips 2| on the portions of the feed chains I 2 that are anproaching the shelf 3|. As the rod advances between the idler rolls 30, a loop will be formed in the paper strip as the end portion thereof is drawn downward over the surfaces of these rolls. While the rod continues to advance, the loop will be elongated until the free end of the strip becomes overlapped on the portion of the strip advancing between the idler rolls. Since the strip is now moist, the overlapping portions thereof will stick together so that the mentioned rod 22 being thus engaged by the strip will draw the strip around the several guide rolls. The strip is thus immersed first in the developer solution in the tank I for a predetermined interval of time, the. length of which is determined by the speed of the feed chains l2. From the developer tank, the strip passes between the guide roll R3 and the wringer roll 24, and thence into the stop solution in tank 8 which inhibits further action or the developer. From the stop solution, the paper passes between the guide roll R and the other wringer roll 28, and thence into the fixing solution from which it is manually removed.

When the mentioned rod 22 passes along the inclined cams 33, the rod is disengaged from the pair of clips 2| on the chains I2 and drops into the bottom of the tank 9. These rods may be collected by the operator and brought to a position near the feed shelf 3| where they can be reinserted in the clips 2| on the guide chains.

While the invention has been shown incorporated in a photo processing arrangement, it is not so limited but it can be used wherever a strip and particularly a moist strip is to be conveyed from one position to another.

What I claim is:

1. In an arrangement of the class described, a treating station, a conveyor traveling to said station, a strip-engaging member carried by said conveyor, said member being devoid of impaling a portion traveling means and a pair of spaced horizontal rollers between which said member passes in the course or its travel to said station, said rolls serving to support a strip temporarily across the path of said member whereby said strip will partially wrap itself around said member in overlapping contact with itself when said member in the course of its travels engages said strip.

2. In an arrangement'of the class described a tank adapted to contain a treating fluid, a conveyor having a portion thereof traveling within said tank for advancing a strip through said fluid, said conveyor having thereon at least one detachable strip engaging member devoid of impaling means, means for temporarily supporting a strip across the path of said member whereby said strip will partially wrap itself around said member in overlapping contact with itself when said member in the course of its travels engages said sheet, and means for disengaging said member from said conveyor.

3. In an arrangement of the class described a tank having treating liquid, a second tank associated therewith whereby a strip to be treated can pass from the first tank to the second, an endless conveyor traveling in part through said second tank and carrying a member extending crosswise of said conveyor said member being devoid of impaling means, said conveyor including in a descending path nearer the adjacent sides of said tanks, a pair of spaced rollers between which a descending portion of said conveyor travels whereby a strip emerging from said first tank can be temporarily supported on said rollers in the path of the member carried by said conveyor.

4. In an arrangement of the class described a tank adapted to contain a treating liquid, a conveyor having a portion thereof traveling adjacent said tank for advancing a moistened strip therein, said conveyor having thereon at least one strip-engaging member devoid of impaling means and a pair of spaced supports respectively located at opposite sides of said conveyor for temporarily supporting the moistened strip across the path of said member whereby said moistened strip will partially wrap itself around said member in overlapping contact with itself when said member in the course of its travels engages said sheet.

5. In an arrangement of the class described a tank containing a treating liquid, a second tank containing a treating fluid, said tanks being positioned adjacent each other whereby a strip to be treated can pass from the first tank to the second, an endless conveyor traveling in part through said second tank and carrying a member extending crosswise of said conveyor, said member being devoid of impaling means, said conveyor including a portion traveling in a path near the adjacent sides of said tanks, a pair of spaced adjacent supports between which said conveyor travels in said path so that a strip emerging from said first tank can be temporarily held on said supports across the path of the member carried by said conveyor, whereby said strip, especially when in a moistened condition, will partially wrap itself around said member when said member in the course of its travel engages said strip.

- WARREN L. SULLIVAN. 

